Tiana's Dream

Tiana's Dream

by RH Disney

This is a Stepping Stones chapter book based on the new Disney move, The Princess and the Frog. It is one of the first chapter books  read with my 6 year old daughter. She absolutely loved the book, except for the "scary" parts. (We skipped over those!)

As much as we love and appreciate that there is now a princess that is "brown like me," the book and the move have a very dark side to them. There is alot of black magic and voodoo. When we saw the movie in the theater, she closed her eyes and ears for parts just as we skipped over a few pages when reading the book. Overall, we both love the book. I like that it encourages hard work and determination. She loves it because Tiana is a princess who looks like her!

Luke Goes to Bat

Luke Goes to Bat 

by Rachel Isadora

The young boy, Luke, is too young to play stickball with the bigger boys. The one day he got his big chance, he struck out...twice and was certain that he would never be able to play again. But, a smile was brought to his face when his grandmother announced that she had two tickets to see Jackie Robinson and the Dodgers play. Realizing that Jackie Robinson did not quit, Luke decided to follow his grandmother's advice after all and NOT give up! This book opened the door for some more learning for my kids. After reading it, my boys asked questions about Jackie Robinson throughout the day!

Dream Dancer

Dream Dancer 

by Jill Newsome
illustrated by Claudio Munoz

This book is about a girl and her love of dancing! She dances everywhere, even in her dreams! But, her dream turned into a nightmare when she fell and hurt her leg. In hopes of cheering Lily up, her grandma gave her a little dancing doll that she named Peggy. From that moment on, Lilly and Peggy were inseparable and when Lily was finally able to dance again, Peggy was right there with her!

Keisha Ann Can!

Keisha Ann Can!

by Daniel Kirk

My kids really enjoyed this book! It is about a little girl who happily goes about her daily routine. She exudes self-confidence and you can't help but fall in love with her enthusiasm for life whether she is sharing with her friends, jumping rope, counting, or helping her teacher. "Who can learn, and work, and play, and maker her dreams come true? Keisha Ann can do these things, and you can do them, too!"

Dancing in the Wings

Dancing in the Wings

by Debbie Allen

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

I liked this book because I could identify with it. I am tall and for the longest time I disliked my height...until I discovered basketball. Then, being tall became a GOOD thing. The same is true for the main character, Sassy, and her love for ballet. This is a story about perseverance. She is encouraged to "make her mark." Despite ridicule about her long legs and big feet, Sassy works hard and no longer has to dance in the wings, but is able to take center stage! My daughter loves this book, however, I find that I skip over some of the words because I prefer to avoid the name-calling that is exchanged between Sassy and her fellow dancers as well as between Sassy and her brother. My daughter is old enough to understand that it is not okay to call people names. However, my boys are not at that age yet. So, when reading to book to all my kids I do skip over some sentences. Overall, I really like the book and the message. I wish I would have read it when I was growing up and struggling with my height!